Electric-lamp socket.



Patentod- May I4, l90l. J. u. PIERCE. ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET.

(Application filed May 21, 1900.)

(No Model.)

J/l/////////// w w parts of the structure.

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

JOHN DENTON PIERCE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLYANIA.

ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,283, dated May 14, 1901.

Application filed May 21, 1900. fierial No. 17,421. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DENTON PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Phila delphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Electric-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sockets for incandescent electric lamps or sockets to which an electric circuit isto be removably connected and extended, the invention relating especiallyto keyless sockets.

One object of the invention is to simplify the construction by reducing the number of parts and facilitating the assembling of the same, thereby not only decreasing the initial cost, but providing a construction not liable to get out of order.

A further object is to provide bindingclamps of such character as to'lessen the work of the electrician in connecting the wires to the socket and to produce a socket capable of being readily made of small size for use in connection with miniature incandescent lamps, whereby the socket may be propor-' tioned to the size of the lamp and the weight of the socket so reduced that the lamp may be conveniently extended away from its rigid.

forholding an incandescent lamp upon a rigid support, which means shall be of small size and of a shape adapted for use on illuminated signs and decorative work where it is desired to conceal the holder and keep the lamp closeto its support.

These objects I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale and on the line a a, Fig. 2, of a socket for incandescent lamps constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in transverse section, on the line b b, Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detached perspective views of Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a special form of structure intended for use in connection with signs or other decorative work, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view illustrating the method of using the same.

threaded openings in the fingers 3, and these screws pass through openings in the cy1in= drical casing 2 and engage with notches 0r recesses in a block 7 of porcelain or other insulating material contained within said casing 2, this block 7 carrying the threaded cup 8, to which the threaded base of the lamp is secured, and also having the binding-posts and connections whereby the current is conveyed to and from the lamp.

The block is of circular contour, with a flattened side and a raised portion or shoulder 18, which serves to separate the two wires, the construction also providing angles into which the wires can be forced by the binding-screws, as hereinafter explained.

The base of the threaded cup 8 bears against 8 the block 7 and is confined thereto by a central pin or wire 9, which has at the outer end a coil 10, contained in a recess in the face of the block, and at its inner end a head 11, which bears against a washer 12, the latter in turn bearing against an insulating-plate 13, of mica or other suitable material, between which and the base of the cup 8 is confined a ring 14, having at one side an upturned or bent finger 15, which passes through a slot 16 in said base of the cup and carries one of the binding-screws 17, the latter serving to press one of the conducting-wires w into the angle formed by the flattened side of the block 7 and the base of the cup, as shown in Fig. l. The other wire at is forced by a binding-screw 19 into the angle formed by the shoulder 18 of the block 7 and the coil 10 of the pin or wire 9, said binding-screw 19 being adapted to a thread formed in the coil 10.

A sleeve 20, of vulcanized fiber or other equivalent insulating material, is interposed between the cup 8 and the cylindrical casing 2, so as to efiectually insulate the latter. This sleeve bears at the inner end against the block 1 and is retained at the outer end by bent portions of the casing 2 or in any other appropriate manner.

All of the parts of the socket are of cheap and simple construction, and by reason of the devices employed for confining the conducting-wires to the socket there is attendant economy of space, so that the socket is especially adapted for use with miniature lamps intended for decorative or advertising purposes, its light Weight rendering unnecessary any other support for the lamp than the conducting-wires, so that the latter may be projected in any desired direction from the rigid support, thus permitting any desired disposition of the lamp.

By removing the two screws 6 the insulating-block, with its cap and binding-posts, can be withdrawn from the casing and it can be as readily reapplied and secured thereto.

In constructing the socket for application to signs or other structures in which it is desired to locate the lamp close to the surface and to hide the socket the ring 4 may be provided with wings 21, as shown in Fig. 7, whereby it may be secured to the rear face of the sign-board or other structure 22, as shown in Fig. 8, the casing of the socket occupying an aperture formed in the sign-board, sothat the bulb of the lamp will be disposed closely to the surface of the sign, as shown.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent-- 1. The combination in an electric-lamp socket, of a shouldered insulating-block, a lamp-socket and binding-post secured thereto by a headed pin terminating in a threaded coil, an insulating-washer between said binding-post and the head of the pin, set-screws, one carried by said binding-post and the other by the threaded coil, and serving to secure the conducting-wires to said insulating-block, and an inelosing casing, comprising a shouldered base-block, a tubular casing projecting therefrom, an insulating-sleeve interposed between said casing and the socket and a ring bearing on the shoulder of the base-block, and having projecting arms outside of the tubular casing, which arms carry screws passing through said casing and engaging with the insulating-block, substantially as specified.

2. An electricdamp socket comprising an insulating-block, a cup threaded for the reception of the threaded base of the lamp, a pin or Wire serving to secure said threaded cup to the insulating-block and having an internallythreaded coil and a binding-screw adapted to said internally-threaded coil and serving to confine thereto one of the conducting-wires of the lamp, substantially as specitied.

3. A11 electric-lamp socket comprising an insulating-block with shoulder thereon, a cup threaded for the reception of the threaded base of the lamp, a pin or wire serving to secure said cup to the insulating-block and having an internally-threaded coil and a bindingscrew adapted to said threaded coil and serving to press one of the conducting-wires of the lamp into the angle formed by the said coil and the shoulder on the insulating-block, substantially as specified.

4. An electric-lamp socket comprising an insulating-block having aflattened side, a cup threaded for the reception of the threaded base of the lamp, a ring having a bent finger carryinga binding-screw, whereby one of the conducting-wires can be pressed into the angle formed by the base of the cup and the flattened side of the insulating-block, and means for securing said threaded on p and ring to the insulating-block, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN DENTON PIERCE.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. TAGGART, F. E. BEOHTOLD. 

